Grossology 101

I had a college reunion this past weekend, as did my husband. He is a graduate from the same school in the same year, so getting out the door and off to the reunion was an absolute feat in the middle of spring sports madness with my children.

Last Wednesday I realized that my pantry of gluten-free foods was precariously low and while that wouldn’t stress out my celiac, it would stress out his Grandma who was babysitting. I went shopping at night since I was going straight from a meeting to catch a train on Thursday.

This gluten friendly store was calm and quiet at that point of the evening so I cruised quickly around the aisles. I also picked up a couple of quick dinners and some extra milk. In the vegetable section, I had a seriously eye opening experience.

As a lazy cook, I always buy my lettuce shredded and pre-washed whenever available. I scooped up a bag of mixed field greens and smiled to the guy who was waiting for my tongs. I stepped aside to tie my bag in a knot and he scooped up some greens as well. I moved down a bit to carrots and a woman moved into the lettuce section as the gentleman tied up his greens in the bag.

All of a sudden, she reared her head back and sneezed loudly. People sneeze all the time, it was just completely horrifying because she didn’t cover her mouth and she projectile AH-CHOO’d all over the pre-washed, pre-shredded mixed field greens that I had just scooped into my bag.

My jaw dropped to the ground and I sounded like the girls in the “Baby Got Back” video…”OH. MY. GOD. I can’t believe you just did that.” The guy was so repulsed he just dropped his bag on the floor and walked away.

I was thankful for all of my boxed and wrapped gluten-free goodies that were protected from sneeze germs and I re-washed all of my pre-washed, pre-shredded greens when I returned home.

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